


Castiel's Little Brother

by Spunkybob5



Category: Supernatural
Genre: Angst, Caretaking, Curses, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Hurt Sam Winchester, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Mild Hurt/Comfort
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-04-10
Updated: 2016-04-10
Packaged: 2018-06-01 08:00:23
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,940
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6509638
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Spunkybob5/pseuds/Spunkybob5
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Sam is cursed and Castiel watches over him.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Castiel's Little Brother

Sam’s fever still hadn’t broken.

It had been 62 hours. Castiel knew this because Dean had counted every single one.

The hunt had started out fine. The Winchesters suspected a small nest of vampires had taken up residency in southern Wyoming. They’d packed up, told Castiel not worry, they’d be back in no time, and left. It was two days later that Castiel had received Dean’s panicked phone call.

Not vampires. A witch.

Sam stirred on the bed, moaning. The fever made him delirious, and with the literal Hell Sam had been through, the hallucinations were worse than the fever. Sam’s eyes flew open, “No! No, please no more, I’m sorry, no more!”

Castiel stood, brushing damp hair from Sam’s forehead, allowing tendrils of his grace to sweep away the dreams, “Shh, Sam, you’re safe.”

“Cas?” Sam’s eyes came into focus, staring up at Castiel. “Are you…here?”

“Yes, Sam. I’m here, and I am real.”

“Thank God,” Sam closed his eyes, then opened them again, licking his chapped lips. “Are you gonna stay?”

Castiel offered a glass of water to Sam, holding the straw still for him. “Yes, Sam. I will watch over you.”

Sam took a sip of the offered drink and collapsed back on the bed, exhausted by the effort. He disappeared into a fitful sleep.

***

_Dean had been beside himself on the phone. “It was a curse, Cas! Sam got hit, hard. He was screaming…”_

_His voice had trailed off, but Castiel had pushed, needing more details. “What was he screaming, Dean?”_

_Dean cleared his throat. “He said – he said he was on fire. Like he was burning from the inside out,” Dean’s voice cracked. “I ganked the bitch, but Sam – he’s still burning up, Cas. I don’t know what to do.”_

_“A fire curse. Those are rare. They require a great deal of magic”_

_“Great, Cas. How do I turn it off?”_

_“You already have, Dean. Killing the witch lifted the curse.”_

_“Dammit, Cas! Didn’t you hear me? Sam’s still burning up!” Dean’s voice had been pleading. He sounded as frightened as Castiel had ever heard him._

_“Fire curses are known to linger. He will likely have a high fever for three to four days,” Castiel softened his voice. “Sam will be miserable, but there should be no lasting effects. He will be fine.”_

_When the Impala roared up to the bunker, Castiel helped Dean haul Sam to his room. They tucked him into his bed, a cool compress on his forehead, before Dean turned to Castiel. “Can you fix him?”_

_Castiel stepped forward, pressing his palm to Sam’s chest, “No, Dean. The curse has to work its way out Sam’s body all on its own.”_

_Dean swiped his hand down his face and collapsed into Castiel’s arms. “He’s been screaming, Cas. He doesn’t know where he is. I think…he thinks he’s in the cage.”_

_Castiel wrapped his strong arms around Dean, allowing Dean to burrow his face into his neck. Dean trembled, and Castiel knew he was fighting back tears. Castiel pulled back so he could look into Dean’s eyes. Castiel stroked Dean’s jaw, frowning. “You should get some rest, Dean.”_

_“No, no, I can’t,” Dean straightened suddenly, turning towards the bed. “I hafta watch over Sammy.”_

_“Dean, rest. I’ll watch over him for now.”_

_“I shouldn’t,” Dean locked wide green eyes on Castiel. “He’s my brother.”_

_Castiel took Dean’s hand, rubbing the wide gold band that graced his ring finger. “He’s my brother, too, Dean.”_

_Dean fell against Castiel once more, allowing himself another moment of comfort before heading to the shower._

***

Castiel sat quietly, watching Sam’s eyes flicker behind the lids, alert to any sign of distress. He was struck by how much his relationship with Sam had changed over the years. When Castiel had first met Sam, all he’d been able to see was the red mist of demon blood that clung to his soul. As an angel, Castiel hadn’t understood the choices Sam made, couldn’t identify with the grief, didn’t recognize the need for redemption. All he saw was evil wrapped around Sam’s otherwise vibrant soul. An abomination.

Those first years with the brothers, Castiel had watched over Sam, but mostly because Dean loved Sam. Protecting Sam had been merely an extension of protecting Dean. But when Sam had fallen into the pit with Lucifer, Castiel had been surprised by how much he missed the younger Winchester. He was afraid for Sam, not just because Dean was hurting, but because Castiel cared for _Sam_.

Frankly, no one was more surprised by that revelation than Castiel himself.

Sam stirred again, eyes opening wide, “Dean?”

“Dean stepped out for just a moment, Sam. He’ll be right back, but I can get him for you if you’d like.”

“Cas?” Sam seemed confused, bleary.

“Yes, Sam.”

Sam closed his eyes and smiled. “Nah, it’s ok, Cas. One brother watching over me is enough.”

Sometimes, Castiel didn’t feel like he’d learned a lot of lessons in the years following the Apocalypse. It seemed every choice he made, even those with the best of intentions, just seemed to make things worse. Free will was _hard_ , a terrible, cruel burden. And it was terrifying.

That struggle, really, had been the greatest gift. For the first time in eons, Castiel had empathy for humans. He’d watched them throughout their existence, and he’d loved them and pitied them and felt sympathy for them, but he’d never really identified with their lives and choices.

Not until Dean. And Sam.

***

_“Cas? Cas!” Dean bellowed._

_Castiel rushed into Sam’s room, the sandwich he was fixing Dean abandoned. “What? What’s wrong?”_

_One look gave Castiel the answer. Sam was sitting bolt upright in bed, eyes wide and glassy, unseeing._

_“Please! Forgive me, forgive me!_ No! _” Sam was screaming, voice raw, terror written all over his face._

_Dean reached for his brother, “It’s ok, Sammy, I’m here, you’re ok –“_

_Castiel pushed Dean aside, climbing onto the bed in front of Sam, taking his face in his hands. “Sam! Can you hear me?”_

_Sam turned his crazed expression to Castiel, “Cas? Is that you?”_

_“Yes, Sam. It’s me.”_

_Tears filled Sam’s eyes, “Oh, thank God, thank God, Castiel, please forgive me, forgive my sins Cas, I don’t wanna go to Hell, I can’t go back, please…”_

_Castiel felt his heart twist. He tighten his grip on Sam’s face, keeping him still. “Sam Winchester. You are beloved of God, brother of the Righteous Man, a savior of humanity. You have stood before angels and demons and given of yourself. Your sins, large and small, are forgiven in the asking. I pronounce you clean of sin, Sam Winchester. You are blessed.”_

_Sam’s eyes closed, relief flooding his features. He was asleep before Castiel lowered him to the pillow._

***

Sam’s forehead creased, and Castiel took his hand, allowing his grace to once more wash the nightmares away. Castiel held onto his hand even after Sam’s dreams quieted, saying a silent prayer of thanks for his brother.

And Sam was a _great_ brother.

When Castiel had told Sam of his desire to ask Dean to marry him, Sam had been nothing but supportive. He’d helped Castiel pick out a ring and plan the proposal. Once Dean said yes, it became clear a proper wedding mattered to Dean, and Sam threw himself into the preparations.

It wasn’t until Castiel and Sam were leaving a bakery after approving the final plan for the cake that Castiel realized something was wrong. They’d strolled past a house with a ‘For Rent’ sign out front. Sam paused, snagging a flier.

“Sam? Why are you looking at rental homes?”

Sam shrugged, “You and Dean don’t need me cramping your style. You should have your own home. I can live somewhere else.”

His tone was light, but Castiel saw the dejection his shoulders, the wariness in his eyes. “Sam. No home Dean could ever make would be complete without you. And –“ Castiel hesitated, then laid his hand on Sam’s shoulder, “I would miss you, too. I consider you a brother, Sam. I hope you know that.”

The sincerity in Castiel’s voice seemed to inflate Sam’s smile. “Thanks, Cas. I think of you as a brother, too. I’m selfishly glad it’s going to be official now.”

Sam’s breathing changed, pulling Castiel from his memories. He placed his palm on Sam’s chest, extending his senses, searching for the curse.

“How is he?” Dean was quiet, and Castiel wondered how long he’d been standing in the doorway.

“The curse is nearly gone. Sam should rest now, but he will regain his strength quickly.”

Dean dropped into the chair next to Castiel, leaning over to kiss his cheek. “Thanks for helping watch over Sam, Cas. You’re a great brother.”

Castiel looked up in surprise. “Thank you, Dean. That means a lot.”

***

_“It’s been 61 hours, Cas. How much longer is Sam going to suffer?” Dean sat cross-legged on the cot they’d set up in Sam’s room. Dean was not willing to be parted from Sam long enough to get a good night’s sleep, and the cot was where they had compromised._

_“Perhaps another full day, Dean. It’s not an exact science.” Castiel reached out, running his fingers through Dean’s sleep-mussed hair._

_Sam cried out, fists tightening in the sheets. Castiel leaned over, fingertips brushing Sam’s temple, and he quieted, his dreams once more safe._

_Castiel sat back, and Dean rested his cheek on Castiel’s knee. “I hate this. I’m so helpless. At least you can stop his nightmares. I just have to watch.”_

_“Your presence is enough, Dean. You know that.”_

***

“Don’t forget my smoothie, Dean!” Sam yelled.

“Yeah, yeah. Ya weirdo,” Dean called back from the kitchen. The blender started to whirl, and Castiel smiled. Dean hated smoothies. It was a testament to his love for Sam that one was being prepared.

Sam was feeling much better. The fever had subsided, and though Sam was still weak, he was well enough to move around a bit. Dean had helped him through a shower while Castiel had stripped Sam’s sweat-soaked sheets and remade his bed. Now they were settling in to watch a movie while Sam rested.

“Hey, Cas?”

“Yes, Sam?”

Sam licked his lips, “I wanted to ask…I mean, I kinda remember…” He stopped, then tried again, “You were here with me the whole time, weren’t you? Watching over me?”

“Except when I prepared food for Dean, yes.”

Sam nodded, “I’m still not sure what all was real, you know. And I remember…” Sam licked his lips again, “Did you forgive my sins, Cas?”

“Yes.”

“Is that – is that real? Like, does it count? In Heaven?” Sam’s voice was strained.

Castiel tilted his head, puzzled. “I’m an Angel of the Lord, Sam. If a priest can declare your sins forgiven, I certainly can.”

Tears pricked at Sam’s eyes, and he ducked his head.

“Here’s your damn smoothie, Bitch,” Dean set a tray on the nightstand. He looked between Sam and Castiel. “What’s going on in here?”

Sam looked up at Dean. “Nothing. I just have really awesome brothers. Jerk.”

Castiel smiled, watching the Winchesters banter, their souls flickering with the joy of being together. Both souls were different now than they were all those years ago. Sam’s soul was no longer wrapped in red, though Castiel could still see sparks of it. Dean’s soul carried tendrils of smoke from his time with the Mark of Cain. Some wounds never really healed, and they ran soul-deep for the brothers. But they remained the most beautiful souls Castiel had ever seen, and he wouldn’t change it for the world.

**Author's Note:**

> I tried some new things in this story. If anything is unclear, please let me know!


End file.
